like pearl and jade

5

Sima Xiang felt that she did not like life in the capital. Compared to the Ting Prefecture that had a spring-like climate during all four seasons, the summer in Jing was too hot and dry. The fashion style here was also different from Ting Prefecture. She, who had never come to Jing before, was slightly unused to this.

But as a daughter of the Sima Family, she could not say this kind of scary words, and could not let people see her at a loss for what to do. This time, Grandfather had taken the family into the palace to get a future for Father and her two uncles. She could not shame the family at this time.

Due to this, when her older female cousin Sima Ling invited her to a gathering, she did not refuse. Instead, she meticulously prepared for this gathering.

This time, the gathering was at a cool manor in the suburbs of Jing. Sima Xiang waved the sandalwood fan in her hand and suppressed the irritation she felt due to the heat. She only felt a thread of coolness when the carriage entered the borders of the manor.

Descending from the carriage, she walked in following Sima Ling. Before they reached the location, she heard lively laughter and talking coming from ahead.

“You finally arrived.” She saw a young girl dressed in an orange dress see them and came forward with a smile to link arms with Sima Ling but turned to her to say, “Come here and sit with us.”

After introductions, she learned the young girl linking arms with Cousin was Li Jing Yu, the third miss of the Li Family second branch. But based on what she knew, Cousin’s close friends did not include this Miss Li.

As the hosts of this gathering, the young masters and misses of the Li Family were enthusiastic but not fawning. Even Sima Xiang, who did not like gatherings, could not pick at anything.
She held the teacup and took a small sip. A light lotus fragrance immediately reached her nose and caused the last feelings of heat to disappear.

She calmed down and finally was in the mood to examine the young men and women talking or playing games in small groups around her.

Cousin introduced the misses to her by whispering softly in her ear. Fortunately, she had memorized the genealogies long ago, so she had some knowledge of the connections between the families these young people belonged to.

“Which family is that miss from?” Sima Xiang gazed towards a girl of around twelve. This girl wore an almond yellow gauze dress. While the other was not the most beautiful among those present, the other was the one she cared about the most. The first moment she saw this girl, she felt her heart soften slightly. She felt that even the other’s large and bright eyes were especially beautiful.

“You mean her?” Sima Ling paused in her words. While her expression did not change, her eyes showed something similar to dismissiveness and envy.

Sima Xiang nodded minutely. Coincidentally, that miss also looked over at her, and gave a sweet and innocent smile.

“That is the miss of the Gu Family of Jing.” Sima Ling’s tone softened. Her dismissiveness and envy disappeared. “Her personality… is not bad.”

Sima Xiang nodded. There were several slightly older misses sitting around the others. It could be seen she had a likable personality.

As the sisters of the Sima Family discussed the people present, other people were naturally curious about this “newcomer” to Jing.

“Beautiful, ethereal presence, as expected of a miss of the Sima Family.” The third miss of the Hu Family was Gu Ru Jiu’s second sister-in-law’s younger sister. She and Gu Ru Jiu were always very close.

“Yes.” Gu Ru Jiu nodded in agreement. This Miss Sima Xiang had a willow brow, a cherry mouth, and while she was not yet fifteen, her figure was beautiful and more outstanding than Sima Ling’s who was sitting next to her.